Railway rail support



Aprifi 14, 1936.

H. ETHERIDGE RAILWAY RAIL YSUPPORT -INVENTOR Filed March 10 1934 ii a Patented Apr. 14, 1936 RAILWAY RAIL SUPPORT Harry Etheridge, Zel ienople, Pa.

Application March 10,

21 Claims.

More particularly my invention relates to that type of track structure wherein the supports of the rails are individual in that they do not bridge the space between the rails as is the case with the conventional cross tie.

In modern practice the individual rail supports are usually formed of concrete which is reinforced with metal, and the concrete body tends to smash, wear, crack and fracture under the burden and stresses of the traveling loads.

In the case of my present invention the actual support of the rail is assumed by the metallic frame-work of the rail support While the body of asphalt, concrete or other plastic material supplies the necessary floating weight, protects the metallic elements from atmospheric deterioration and aids in maintaining the metallic elements in their relative arrangement.

A novel and characteristic phase of my invention is the curved perimetral surface of the rail support which is preferably circular, thus providing an equal resistance in all directions against movement in the track ballast.

In the case of the conventional cross ties the thrusts effective longitudinally of the cross ties are the greatest and such thrusts are resisted by the least'area of the ties.

Again where the perimetral surface of a rail support of any kind is characterized by corners or protruding angles, these corners or angles.

tend to readily wedge or plow through the ballast when thrusts in the proper directions are incurred. These tendencies to shift in the ballast are overcome in my invention, by the resistance of the arcuate perimetral surfaces, and when, as is preferable, such perimetral surface is circular substantially one hundred and eighty degrees such surface is effective in resisting thrusts exerted in any substantially horizontal direction.

Another novel and characteristc phase of my invention is the character of the metal frame- .work of the rail support which in its simplest form comprises a metal ring across the top of which is secured as by welding a rail supporting plate longitudinally of which the rail is mounted, the plate being preferably supported at its ends by angular brackets Welded or otherwise secured to the outer face of the ring. The rail may be secured in place by fasteners engaging the plate or, as is preferable, the brackets.

The interior of the ring is cast full of suitable plastic material, which may be concrete, but I prefer an asphaltum composition because when set the latter is less rigid than the concrete'and.

1934, Serial No. 714,933

does not tend to shrink from close engagement with the metal ring. A mixture or composition comprising one part asphaltum, two parts sand and three parts gravel or broken stone is suitable for my purpose.

For the purpose of stiffening the ring and also better holding the plastic fitting in place, I prefer to provide the ring at both top and bottom with annular inturned flanges.

To more adequately support and carry the 10 weight of the moving loads I provide an internal truss to afford an under-support for the rail plate intermediate of its points of support by the ring, said truss comprising a flat elevated bridge engagingand welded to the rail plate from below, and two inclined legs which are supported on and welded to the bottom flange of the ring.

I prefer to provide two of said truss members, one disposed longitudinally of the rail plate and the other transversely thereof, the bridge of the latter supporting the bridge of the former from below. The bridges are welded to each other.

Where extra heavy loads are to be carried I may provide a plurality of concentric rings, the truss or trusses being mounted in the inner ring 25 and the rail plate traversing and welded to the topfianges of both rings and to the brackets which in such case are welded to the-outermost ring. In such case I may provide the inner ring or rings with openings so that the asphalt composition or other plastic filling may neck through and thus be more firmly anchored in place.

If the rail be centered on the support there is a tendency to tip toward the center of the track, and therefore I offset the rail relative to the support outwardly toward the outer side of the rail and thus stabilize the rail under traveling loads.

Other novel features of construction, and also of arrangement of parts will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein I have illustrated practical embodiments of the principles of my invention, Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view taken along the dotted line l-I of Fig. 2 v and showing the preferred embodiment of my improved rail support.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the rail support shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the same showing a rail secured thereto.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the support provided with concentric rings, the view being in section along the line 4-4 in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the support also shown in Fig. 4. P

Fig. 6 is a sectional perspective of the inner ring shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a perspective of one of the brackets.

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the longitudinal truss member.

Fig. 9 is a similar view of the transverse truss member.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective of one of the bolt locks for the rail fasteners.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, l0 represents a steel ring having its top and bottom edges provided with inturned annular flanges H and I2, respectively. The ring may be formed by bending up into annular form a length of channel bar and welding together the abutting ends as shown at I3, Fig. 6. In practice for ordinary steam or electric railway use I prefer to use as a material for the rings steel channel bar approximately six inches wide, of about one-fourth inch gauge and having say one-half inch flanges, but the channel bar may be varied in dimension in accordance with the loads to be carried. The ring may be approximately twenty-four inches in diameter.

:4 represents angular brackets, shown separately in Fig. 7 which are welded against the outer perimetral surfaces of the ring ID with their horizontal portions in the plane of the top flange ll. I5 represents the rail plate which rests upon the top flange ll of the ring l0 and upon the brackets l4, and is welded to the ring and to the brackets. The ends of the plate may be flush with the outer edges of the brackets, as shown. The brackets are wider than the plate, which latter is preferably of the same width as the base of the rail 25, as shown in Fig. 3. The plate l5 may be one-fourth inch gauge. At either side of the rail plate the brackets are provided with bolt holes I6 for attachment of the rail fasteners later to be described.

Owing to the tendency of the rail, if it be centered relative to the support, to tip toward the center of the track under traveling loads, I stabilize the rail and obviate such tendency by offsetting the rail relative to the support toward the outside of the rail. In a support twenty-four inches in diameter the longitudinal center of the base of the rail should be offset approximately 1.35 inches toward the outer side of the rail. In general the equation between the distance from the longitudinal center of the rail base to the outer side of the rail support and the distance from the said center to the inner side of the support is approximately 13.35 to 10.65.

I find it advantageous, especially where heavy traveling loads are to be assumed, to provide a truss or trusses to support the intermediate portion of the rail plate I5. Thus I! represents a truss member, shown separately in Fig. 8, comprising an elevated intermediate portion or bridge and two inclined legs whose lower extremities rest upon the lower flange [2 of the ring In and are welded thereto. The bridge portion of the truss l1 supports the rail plate l5 from below and is welded thereto. As an additional support for the center of the rail plate I5 I prefer to provide a transversely disposed truss 18, shown separately in Fig. 9, disposed at right angles'to the truss H with its bridge portion supporting the bridge portion of the truss l1 and Welded thereto, while the legs of the truss 18 are supported on and welded to the lower flange l2 of the ring ID. The trusses may be formed of bar material of about one-fourth inch gauge and about three inches in width.

For the sake of economy I may omit the center or bridge portion of the truss or trusses, using for truss purposes only the diagonal legs which may be straight bars whose lower ends are welded to the lower flange of the ring and whose upper ends are welded to the underside of the rail supporting plate.

The ring [0 is pressure cast full of a suitable plastic material l9. This material may be concrete but I prefer an asphaltum composition since the latter is characterized by more resiliency than concrete and is less likely to shrink away from the ring and the trusses when setting. Again the,

asphalt composition does not crumble or crack under service.

In the case of a railway track where very heavy traveling loads are to be assumed I may provide my rail support with two or more concentric rings as illustrated at Illa and Illb in Fig. 4, the trusses 11 and 18 being within the innermost ring 1 0a, While the brackets M are welded to the outer ring Iflb, the rail plate l5 being welded to the longitudinal truss ll, the flanges I I of the rings lea and lb and to the brackets i4.

Where a plurality of rings are employed I prefer to provide the webs of the inner ring or rings with holes such as shown at 20 in Fig. 6 so that when the filling of asphalt composition is cast within the inner ring and between the rings it will neck through the holes and thus more firmly anchor the mass in place.

The rails may be fastened to the rail supports in any convenient and safe manner. I have illustrated a practical fastener for this purpose. Thus 2 i represents a bolt which is inserted downwardly through the bore of the fastener member 22,

which member has a finger or lug 23 which clamps down on the base 2d of the rail 25. The bolt extends down through one of the holes [6 in the bracket l4 and engages a squared nut 26 whose lateral surface fits against the vertical face of the bracket l4 and thus prevents the nut from turning when the bolt is screwed home. A split ring washer 21 is preferably placed on the bolt with the bolt hole in the fastener. After the bolt has been screwed home, one corner, as 3| in Fig. 10, is bent up against one of the flat faces of the bolt head, thus locking the bolt against turning until the bent-up ear 3! has been bent fiat again.

In the embodiment of my invention above described the perimetral surface of the rail support is shown as a plain or continuous annulus but it will be understood that an irregular arouate or annular surface may be employed. Thus it is obvious that the exterior surface of the rail support may be corrugated or otherwise deformed to increase the thrust resistance.

I prefer to form the perimetral surface of my rail support of metal which will not readily oxidize. Thus copper bearing steel or stainless steel may be used for the ring or rings and also for the brackets, rail plate and trusses.

epta-e1 9 rings not only stiffens the metal rings andadds to their strength but such flanges also serve to hold the composition filling in place and protect its edges against wear and fracture.

The exterior metal ring adds greatly to the strength and durability of the rail support and owing to its continuous arcuate form absolutely prevents any crushing or lateral distortion of the support.

Owing to the fact that my improved rail support resists thrusts equally in all directions great rail stability is thus obtained and not only is lateral or sideways motion of the rail successfully resisted but rail creeping either in the direction of the travel of the moving load or down grade is prevented without the use of rail anchors which are now employed in connection with the conventional cross ties.

It will be noted that the composition mass which forms the interior of the rail support oarries but little, if any, of the load but that substantially all of the load is transferred by the metal elements directly to the ballast. Thus the plastic material is not subjected to disintegrating thrusts and forces. Again the metal elements lead the summer heat from the rails and other exposed metallic elements directly to the ballast to which it is quickly radiated, thus avoiding dangerous rail expansion and other faults.

In securing together the metal elements of my improved rail support, the brackets may be welded to the outer perimeter of the rings along their vertical side edges and along their top edges. The rail plates may be welded along their lateral edges to the top flanges of the ring or rings and to the brackets which extend at either side of the narrower rail plate. Again the ends of the rail plate may be welded to the outer edges of the bracket. The lower extremities of the trusses are supported by and welded to the lower flanges of the ring. The bridge of the longitudinal truss is welded along its edges to the rail plate, and in like manner the bridge of the transverse truss is welded to the bridge of the longitudinal truss. Thus the metal elements are formed into an integral whole.

I claim:-

1. An individual support for a railway rail comprising a perimetral surface formed of a metal ring having inwardly flanged top and bottom edges, a filling of plastic material for the interior of said ring, and a metal rail supporting plate supported transversely of said ring and fixed thereto, said plate crossing the interior of the ring and supporting the rail longitudinally from beneath throughout the length of said plate.

2. An individual support for a railway rail comprising a perimetral surface formed of a metal ring having inwardly flanged top and bottom edges, a filling of plastic material for the interior of said ring, brackets welded to the outer perimetral surface of the ring, and a metal rail supporting plate supported by the ring brackets and welded thereto, and means for securing the rail to the brackets.

3. An individual support for a railway rail comprising a metal ring having inwardly flanged upper and lower edges, a rail supporting plate transversely disposed of and supported by said ring, a truss member having its legs supported by said ring and having its intermediate portion supporting said plate from below, and a filling of plastic material for said ring.

l. An individual support for a railway rail comprising a metal ring having inwardly flanged upper and lower edges, a rail supporting plate transversely disposed of and supported by said ring, a truss member having its legs supported by said ring and having its intermediate portion supporting said plate from below, a second truss member disposed transversely of the first truss member and supporting the intermediate portion of the latter, and a filling of plastic material for said ring.

5. An individual support for a railway rail comprising a plurality ofindependent concentrically disposed rings, a rail supporting plate supported by said rings and disposed transversely thereof and secured to all of said rings, a filling of plastic material for said rings, and means for maintaining the plastic material in a unitary assembly with the rings.

6. An individual support for a railway rail comprising a plurality of independent concentrically disposed rings, said rings having their top and bottom edges flanged inwardly, a rail supporting plate supported by said rings and disposed transversely thereof and secured to all of said rings, a filling of plastic material for said rings and means for maintaining the plastic material in a unitary assembly with the rings.

7. An individual support for a railway rail comprising a plurality of concentrically disposed rings, said rings having their top and bottom edgesfianged inwardly, a rail supporting plate supported by'said rings and disposed transversely thereof, a truss support for the intermediate portion of the rail plate disposed longitudinally of the latter, and a second truss support for the first truss support and disposed transversely of the latter.

8. An individual support for a-railway rail comprising a perimetral surface formed of a metal ring, a rail supporting plate superimposed transversely on top of the ring and welded thereto at the intersection of the plate and the ring, a filling of plastic material for the ring, the

'metal being exposed at the top and the bottom of the support whereby heat is transferred directly from the rail and rail plate to the ground,

and means for maintaining the plastic materialin unitary assembly with the ring.

I 9. An individual support for a railway rail other for the support of parallel rails, the combination of an outer ring of metal having a continuous arcuate' perimetral surface arranged when embedded in the ballast of the roadbed to afford substantially equal resistance to thrust from all directions, a filling of plastic material for said ring, means for maintaining the plastic material in unitary assembly with the rings,

brackets mounted on and extending from opposite sides of the ring, the rail being disposed transversely of the rail support and resting on the top of the ring and the brackets, and means for fastening the rail to the brackets.

I 11. In individual rail supports arranged to be 'employedin unconnected relation to each other for the support of parallel rails, the combination of an outer ring of metal having a continuous arcuate perimetral surface arranged when embedded in the ballast of the roadbed to afford substantially equal resistance to thrust from all directions, a filling of plastic material for said ring, means for maintaining the plastic material in unitary assembly with the rings, a bracket mounted on and extending from opposite sides of the ring, said brackets being alined with a cord of the ring, the rail being disposed along said cord and supported by the ring and the brackets.

12. In individual rail supports arranged to be employed in unconnected relation to each other for the support of parallel rails, the combination of an outer ring of metal having a continuous arcuate perimetral surface solidly resting on and arranged when embedded in the ballast of the roadbed to aiford substantially equal resistance to thrusts from all directions, a metal rail plate disposed transversely of said ring and crossing the center of the ring and mounted thereon and secured thereto to support the rail which is laid longitudinally of said rail plate and which is supported by the plate for the full length of the latter, means for fastening the rail firmly in place, a filling of plastic material for said ring, and means for maintaining the plastic material in a unitary assemblage with the ring.

13. In individual rail supports arranged to be employed in unconnected relation to each other for the support of parallel rails, the combination of an outer ring of metal having a continuous arcuate perimetral surface solidly resting on and arranged when embedded in the ballast of the roadbed to afford substantially equal resistance to thrusts from all directions, brackets extending outwardly from the ring from opposite sides thereof, a metal rail plate disposed transversly of the ring and crossing the center of the ring and supported at its ends by the brackets and secured thereto to support the rail which is laid longitudinally of said plate and which is supported by the plate for the full length of the latter, means for fastening the rail firmly in place, a filling of plastic material for said ring, and means for maintaining the plastic material in a unitary assemblage with the ring. 7

14. In individual rail supports arranged to be employed in unconnected relation to each other for the support of parallel rails, the combination of an outer ring of metal having a continuous arcuate perimetral surface arranged when embedded in the ballast of the roadbed to afford substantially equal resistance to thrusts from all directions, a metal rail plate disposed transversely of said ring and mounted thereon and secured thereto to support the rail which is laid longitudinally of the rail plate, and a metal support for the intermediate portion of the rail plate extending upwardly thereto from the lower portion of the ring.

15. In individual rail supports arranged to be employed in unconnected relation to each other for the support of parallel rails, the combination of an outer ring of metal having a continuous arcuate perimetral surface arranged when embedded in the ballast of the roadbed to afford substantially equal resistance to thrusts from all directions, a metal rail plate disposed transversely of said ring and crossing the interior of the ring and mounted thereon and secured thereto to support the rail which is laid longitudinally of the rail plate and which is supported by the plate for the full length of the latter, a metal support for the intermediate portion of the rail plate extending upwardly thereto from the lower portion of the ring, a filling of plastic material for the ring, and means for maintaining the plastic material in a unitary assemblage with theri-ng.

16. In "individual rail supports arranged to be employed in unconnected relation to each other, the combination of an outer ring of metal having a continuous arcuate perimetral surface arranged when embedded in the ballast of the track to afford substantially equal resistance to thrusts from all directions, a metal rail plate disposed transversely of the ring and crossing the interior of the ring and mounted thereon and secured thereto to support the rail which is laid longitudinally of the rail plate and which is supported by the plate for the full length of the latter, the rail plate being offset relative to the center of .the ring in the direction of the outer side of the rail, a filling of concrete for the ring, and means for maintaining the plastic material in a unitary assemblage with the ring.

17. In individual rail supports arranged to be employed in unconnected relation to each other, the combination of an outer ring of metal having aoontinuous arcuate perimetral surface arranged when embedded in the ballast of the track to afford substantially equal resistance to thrusts from all directions, a metal rail plate disposed transversely of the ring and crossing the interior of the ring and mounted thereon and secured thereto to support the rail which is laid longitudinally of the rail plate and which is supported by the plate for the full length of the latter, the rail plate being offset relative to the center of the ring toward the outer side of the rail, the equation between the distance from the longitudinal center of the rail plate to the outer side of the rail support and the distance from said center to the. inner side of the support being approximately 13..35 to 10.65.

.18. In individual rail supports arranged to be employed in unconnected relation to each other, the combination of an outer ring of metal having a continuous arcuate perimetral surface arranged when embedded in the ballast of the track to afford substantially equal resistance to thrusts from all directions, a metal rail plate disposed transversely of the ringand mounted thereon and secured thereto to support the rail which is laid longitudinally of the rail plate, the rail plate being offset relative to the center of the ring toward the outer side of rail, the equation between the distance from the longitudinal center of the rail plate to the outer side of the rail support and the distance from said center to the inner side of the support being approximately 13.35 to 10.65, a filling of plastic material for the ring, and means for maintaining the plastic material in a unitary assemblage with the ring.

19 In means for supporting a railway rail, the combination of a metal support of ring shape having a substantially vertical wall, brackets secured to the outer wall of the support at opposite sides thereof, the rail being laid transversely of and upon the support, and means for attaching the rails to the brackets.

20. In means for supporting a railway rail, the combination of a metal support of ring shape having a substantially vertical wall, brackets secured to the outer wall of the support at opposite sides thereof, the rail being laid transversely of and upon the support, means for attaching the rails to the brackets, and an intermediate support for said rail rising from the lower portion of said first mentioned support.

21. In means for supporting a railway rail, the combination of a metal support of ring shape having a substantially vertical wall, the rail being supported transversely of said support, means for securing the rail to the support, and an intermediate support for said rail extending upward in the interior of the first mentioned support.

' HARRY ETHERIDGE. 

